The ground has a good mixture of the old and the new, it is just let down overall by the fact that the Lorne Street Stand, which was partly opened in 1999, is still yet to be fully completed. This stand which is two-tiered has a row of executive boxes situated between its large lower tier and much smaller upper tier. With a planned capacity of 5,000 it is of a good size and I’m sure it would look quite smart when finished. However, the outstanding works include almost half the lower tier towards the Hamil Road End. This area is currently empty of seating and is largely just a concrete base. On a positive note, the club have recently added some new blocks of seating into part of this area and the original clock that was seen on the old stand has been incorporated into the new construction, above the players tunnel and Directors area in the centre of the stand.

On the opposite side is the Railway Stand which was opened in 1954. It is a fair sized stand that is covered to the rear. It has a number of supporting pillars that run across the middle of the stand. Originally it had a large paddock terrace in front, but this was subsequently filled with seating in the 1990’s. At one end is the Hamil Road End, which is a good sized single tiered stand. It also has an electric scoreboard situated just below its roof. Again it has a number of supporting pillars (although fewer in number than the Railway Stand), plus it has windshields to either side. Opposite is the Bycars Road End, which although old looking was built in 1992. It also is partly covered to the rear and has some supporting pillars to either side. Situated in one corner, in-between the Bycars & Railway Stand is an odd looking two-tiered structure that looks if it has been ‘wedged’ into the stadium. In fact this area is the only portion of the old ground that still remains from when the ground was originally built in 1950. Rob from the One Vale Fan website adds; 'Incidentally, the steelwork and roof of this structure were brought from the club's previous stadium in Hanley, where it formed part of the "Swan Passage" stand. So the roof on that little corner of the ground is very old indeed!' Filled with seating it is currently used as a Family Stand. On one side of the Hamil Road Stand there is a Police Control Box, which keeps a watchful eye over the crowd. The pitch is also one of the widest in the League. Outside the Lorne Street Stand is a statue of former player and manager Roy Sproson.

Although some small blocks of seats have been added to the Lorne Street Stand recently, around half of the lower tier is still bare concrete. Considering that this is still the case after the stand was opened 18 years ago, then this is a bit of an embarrassment. I am sure at some point the Club will do it, but your guess as to when this eventually might happen is as good as mine. If I win the Euromillions jackpot I'll pay to have it finished!

Thanks to Rob Fielding of the OneValeFan website for providing the above photo.
It was taken in August 2017.

Up to 4,500 away supporters can be accommodated in the Signal One Stand, where the view and facilities located on the concourse behind the stand are good. Even a relatively small number of away fans can really make some noise from this stand, as the acoustics are excellent. However, the slope is quite shallow, which might affect your view should a tall person be seated in front. Normally though, you could still move to another seat if necessary.

I've been to Port Vale on a number of occasions and always found it be a good day out. However the experience has sometimes been a little intimidating, not due to the Port Vale supporters but more because of the huge Police presence in and around the ground. One Police Officer said to me as we left the ground five minutes early, as my team were losing 4-0. "Leaving already? there's still five minutes to go!". Now who said that Police Officers don't have a sense of humour? The P.A within the ground is quite deafening at times and there is no escape, even in the toilets, as it is piped through! The food available on the concourse includes Rollover Hot Dogs (£2.50) and a selection of Wrights Pies; Steak (£2.50), Meat & Potato (£2.50), Cheese & Onion Pasties (£2.10) and Sausage Rolls (£2).

If you wonder at half time why the Port Vale fans seem transfixed with staring at the away end, it is not intimidation, but the electric scoreboard perched on the roof of this stand! (which the away fans can't see). Also at half time the Vale fans in the Railway Stand tend to transfer from one side to another so that can be nearer the goalmouth that Port Vale are attacking. Vince Smith a visiting Northampton Town fan adds; 'I must say it was an enjoyable day out at Vale Park, with very friendly stewards, turnstile operators and very good food served by friendly staff. All in all a very pleasant experience and far more enjoyable than a visit to their near neighbours.'

And for a bit of trivia, Dave Seddon, a visiting Brentford supporter informs me; 'the roof of the Hamil Road End was originally that of the Main Stand at Chester City's old Sealand Road ground'. Stephen Wood adds; 'The roof of the away end was indeed bought by Bill Bell back in 1991-92 for £300,000 as Chester were moving grounds. It was installed during the 1992-93 season and the first team we played when the roof was fully constructed was, you guessed it, Chester!'

Please note that cash is not accepted at the away turnstiles, you have to buy a ticket from the portacabin in the car park by the away end. This portakabin is 'cash only'. If you wish to pay by credit or debit card you will need to purchase tickets from the Main ticket office.

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Just outside the away turnstiles is a Club Bar called the 'Vale Social'. Normally it does admit away fans but at a cost of £2 per person, although Over 60's and Under 18's are admitted free. Otherwise the choice of pubs for visiting supporters to drink in near to the ground or in the town centre is very limited as Nick Williams a visiting Plymouth Argyle fan informs me; 'Apart from the Bulls Head, which was very welcoming, every other pub in the town that we found had signs up saying "Home fans only". This also included the closest pub to the ground, the Vine'.

Luckily the Bull's Head which is located in St John's Square, is a cracking pub. It is the local outlet for the nearby Titanic Brewery and is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. It is friendly for away fans. It has a BBQ on matchdays, has up to nine real ales on offer as well as up to 10 traditional ciders and perries. To find this pub: From the outside of the away end, turn right and go down to the bottom of Hamil Road (passing the Vine Pub on your left). Turn right at the t-junction and then go straight across the traffic lights at the crossroads. Proceed past KFC, Wades and the New Inn on the right and then if you look over to your left, you will see a square with the Bulls Head, which is located on the right of this square.

Pete Gardner a visiting Oxford United fan informs me; ‘Both the Leopard and Post Office Vaults, which are both near to the Bulls Head were welcoming to us.’ It is about a ten minute walk from the ground. Otherwise inside the stadium alcohol is available, albeit in plastic bottles of Carling (£3.50) and Cider (£3.50).

The ground is located in the town of Burslem, one of the six towns comprising Stoke On Trent. Leave the M6 at junction 15 or 16 and take the A500 towards Stoke on Trent. Follow A500 until the A527 Tunstall/Burslem exit, where you take the A527 towards Tunstall/Burslem. At the next island just past the Price Kensington factory turn right for Burslem town centre. Continue on this road up the hill, crossing another island and into Burslem town centre. Continue straight on over the traffic lights at the cross roads and then take the first road on the left which takes you down to the ground. There is a large car park located outside a superstore next to the ground which costs £5, otherwise street parking.

Longport Railway Station is the closest to the Vale Park ground, but is a good 30 minute walk away and is not well served by trains, unlike Stoke On Trent station which is. Therefore most fans end up at Stoke On Trent railway station, which is over four miles away from Vale Park and then take a taxi up to the ground.

Football Special Buses From Stoke On Trent

For more high profile games, a Football Special bus service is laid on as Russ Moore a visiting Coventry City fan explains; 'Coventry City fans were met at the Stoke Railway Station exit by waiting Police officers. They recommended that rather than travelling onto Burslem to have a drink before the game, that instead we used a pub around a five minute walk away from Stoke station called The Terrace. The Police said that they would arrange transport to the Port Vale ground from the pub. We took their advice and arrived at the Terrace pub, to find a very pleasant little boozer, with plenty of real ales and Carling lager at £3.10 a pint. The Police kept popping in every 10 minutes or so as more city fans were directed to the pub. At around 2pm the Police asked us to get ready as our transport, a couple of double decker buses, had arrived. We were charged a reasonable £3 return to use the bus, which enjoyed a Police escort to the ground and then back to Stoke railway station after the game'.

Bus information from Stoke station:

S Parlett informs me; 'You can first get a number 9, 21A or 25 bus to Hanley Bus Station and from there a number 3 First Potteries bus up to Burslem. The No.3 is a frequent service that takes about half an hour. If buying a PlusBus ticket with your train ticket, then it costs £3 for unlimited bus journeys in the Stoke area for that day. On leaving Stoke railway station, turn left out of the entrance and proceed up to Bus Stop F, located in front of the taxi rank, to get the 9, 21A or 25 to Hanley Bus Station. After catching the Number 3 bus from Hanley, then on reaching Burslem, look out for The Swan Hotel in Swan Square on your left and get off immediately after the crossroads, in Wedgwood Street. After alighting the bus cross over the road and turn left, then an immediate right into Jenkins Street, leading into Hamil Road, which goes past the away turnstiles'.

Directions & information for Longport station:

John Midgley a visiting Huddersfield Town fan informs me; 'Services run hourly from Crewe, Stoke & Derby to Longport. We managed to walk to the ground in around 25 minutes without too much trouble.

Cross over the line (if travelling from Stoke/Derby) and walk along Station Street. At the mini-roundabout follow the main road round to the left going up the hill. After a couple of minutes take the first major left onto Newcastle Street (B5051). Enter Burslem. Pass the Bull's Head pub at St. John's Square. Bear left onto Market Place. Shortly after cross main road onto Jenkins Street which becomes Hamil Road. The ground will soon be visible on the left. Turn left into Lorne Street'.

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Outside the Lorne Street Stand is a statue of former player and manager Roy Sproson.

The statue was unveiled on 17 November 2012. This was after nearly a decade of fund raising by fans that amounted to the £96,000 required.

Roy Sproson was a left sided defender (mainly centre half) who spent his entire professional career at Port Vale amassing a club record 837 appearances between 1950 & 1972. He also managed the Club between 1974 and 1977. Roy Sproson passed away in 1997, aged 66.

The Plinth reads: 'Through three decades as a player and captain, he made a record 837 appearances for Port Vale and scored 35 goals. He was a true legend who combined style and steel with loyalty. The very spirit of Port Vale ran through this unique man, who also went on to manage the Club'.

The plinth also acknowledges Roy's older brother Jess and nephew Phil, who also both played for Port Vale.

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I have never visited Port Vale before although my team Bristol City have played them on and off over the years. I have always had the impression that they are what's known as "a proper old fashion club."

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

Easy. We went to Bolton Wanderers the night before to see Bristol City and then stayed over. It was an easy 50 mile drive down. We drove around the ground to locate a possible parking space and then visited the nearby Burslem Town Centre.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We parked up and visited The Vale Social. Which I believe is the Supporters Club. Well...to say that it needed a lick of paint was a gross understatement. But what a lovely place! So welcoming to us and the Morecambe fans. I loved the old photos all around the club. Good beer, not overpriced and lots of friendly bar staff. Thank you.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?

First Impressions on seeing Vale Park were not great. I felt if it wasn't for the floodlights it could easily be missed which surprised me for a 19,000 seater capacity ground. Inside it looked alright viewing from the Railway Stand. And I was aware of the unfinished bit opposite.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

I always try a pie and the Meat & Potato at £2.50 was good. The stewards friendly and helpful. The facilities were basic but good enough. If you have a beer on the "concourse" at the back of the Railway Stand you find yourself outside on the top of an embankment. Not for me in February but quite a few did. The atmosphere was good in the Railway Stand which seems the most popular spot. Noisy fans and they tried their best to lift Vale. A lot of families as well. It was a poor game though, reflecting both sides league position. 0-0 flattered both teams.

It was my first visit to Vale Park, we had always managed to avoid each other over recent years so was looking forward to ticking it off. It was also by 82nd ground of the current 92.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

The journey should be straightforward however heavy traffic getting out of Mansfield led to a slightly longer journey than planned. We left Mansfield at 5pm and arrived into Burslem at 7pm. Street parking is available, however get there early as it was busy. There are three car parks at the ground. Although these were for staff members and home fans only, I did notice a number of Mansfield fans managed to get in. We parked 50 yards down from the ground in a large car park which cost £5.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

Due to our late arrival we didn't have time to checkout the local area etc however we did pass a number of pubs on the way up to the ground and speaking to friends who arrived earlier they said they attended plenty of pubs within 10/15 minute walk of the ground. We opted for the social club which is located outside the away end and had a large selection of beers/ciders/ales and also served food. It was a retro style venue but seemed popular with both sets of fans.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?

It's full of character and the views from the away end were good despite a couple of pillars. You enter the away end from the back of the stand and walk down to the seats, plenty of leg room and the concourse area was a good size.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Mansfield were eight games unbeaten going into this one against a Port Vale side who were struggling at the wrong end of the table however under the new manager they had put together a positive run of results. Port Vale started the brighter and were the better side for the first 45 minutes however with our only shot on goal we went into the break 1-0 up. The second half we blew Port Vale away with three second half goals eventually winning 4-0, our biggest away win at this level for 22 years. 537 Mansfield fans witnessed it and the atmosphere was excellent. The home fans generally quiet, stewards low key and friendly, pies seemed very popular with a varied choice at £2.50. Alcohol was also available inside the ground at £3.50.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

There was a bit of traffic getting away from the ground as it's pretty much one road out, one road in however we safely arrived back into Mansfield at 11.30pm.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

An excellent away win for Mansfield, a brilliant atmosphere and an overall enjoyable evening. I would like to visit Vale Park again on a Saturday when our following would be bigger and we would have more time to suss out the area!

Port Vale v Mansfield Town
Football League Two
Tuesday 21st November 2017, 7.45pm
Andrew Wood (Mansfield Town fan)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Vale Park?

A few days off work and a chance to revisit a ground not visited in almost 20 years. Also, amazingly, the Stags were going well!

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I had booked a hotel in the Potteries and more by luck than judgement, it turned out to be about ten minutes walk from Vale Park.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

A couple of pints in Hanley, and straight off to the ground. Not many home fans about, due to Port Vales lowly league position and the fact it had been tipping down with rain all day.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?

The Vale Park ground is large and better than it's League Two status. Rather samey, as I seem to say with most all seater grounds, but classy in its own way. A smallish section was open to the 600 Stags fans, so we were all huddled together, thereby generating a good and loud atmosphere.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The proverbial game of two halves. Fairly even first half with Vale possibly shading it, but Stags scored, somewhat fortuitously a couple of minutes before half time through Zander Diamond. Mansfield came out in the second half and incredibly scored three goals in 15 minutes through Diamond, Danny Rose and Kane Hemmings. Stags were clearly now in cruise control and just saw the game out. Stags could have scored more, and Vale's attacks were very half hearted. Easy win in the end! 600 Stags fans made for a good atmosphere. Vale fans had nothing to sing about, and didn't! Incredibly, all hot food sold out well before half time (Why? Surely Vale knew that with Mansfield only being 50 miles away there would be a good away following?). Stewards okay, toilets clean and tidy.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

A short walk back to my hotel after staying behind to applaud the players, and, er, that was it!

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

When you follow a largely unsuccessful (putting it politely) team, seeing a great away performance makes it all worthwhile, particularly if you've travelled a long distance and forked out for a hotel. I really enjoyed the game (once we were 4-0 up anyway) but disappointed I couldn't get a pie. Don't these clubs realise that's often the only reason some of us visit a footy ground? Shame on you, Port Vale!

The Blades were already promoted and closing in on becoming champions. It seemed too good an occasion to miss.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

It would have been easier if we hadn't needed to avoid Leek town centre, as there were some problems there with United fans in some of the pubs. We had to take a diversion but once we were in the vicinity of Burslem the Satnav found Vale Park for us very easily.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We didn't have enough time to do much but park up and get inside. The car park attendants and stewards were perfectly fine and friendly in spite of some dire rumours we had heard about some incidents before the game.

What you thoughts on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?

Vale Park is a very decent ground. The new stand will be good when it's finished. The old corner next to the Railway Stand looks incongruous but it would be a shame to remove it because it's a link with the ground's history.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

United scored after two minutes and won the game easily. Final score 3-0, but it was hard to concentrate because of the abysmal behaviour of a few Blades fans fighting among themselves and looking for trouble with the Vale supporters, who weren't exactly angels themselves either.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

A doddle really. There was a huge Police presence but they allowed us to walk past them. Some Vale fans were adopting an aggressive pose but they too let us walk through them with no bother and we were on the road again in the blink of an eye.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

A good day out spoiled, really. Vale are in deep relegation trouble and the Blades cantering to the title so the game itself was a mismatch, but the crowd problems took all the enjoyment out of it, sadly.

Vale Park was a new ground for me to visit. Although I wasn't particularly looking forward to the match or stadium itself, but the weather was good.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

Vale Park is straightforward to find, being fairly central to town. Very conveniently there is an away allocated car park directly next to the away end entrance. There are also plenty of other car parks adjacent to the stadium. Parking fee was £5.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We parked up and headed into Burslem. We had heard that the Bull's Head pub was a good option as it is both home and away supporter friendly, offers a decent selection of beverages and offers a barbecue. After a ten minute walk from the stadium we enjoyed a burger and a pint before heading back. Home fans were no problem at all.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?

Vale Park is a basic stadium with not much to offer. The away end was small-ish. The stadium felt like a League Two or even non-league level stadium.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The game was a very dull affair with lots of injury stoppages and not much quality shown from either side, with MK Dons edging possession. The game finished 0-0 and couldn't have ended soon enough. Atmosphere was non-existent, with a crowd of under 4,000 and a very quiet home support. Service was efficient in the away end, the usual pies, drinks etc..on offer.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

We got out of the car park fairly quickly, but there was lots of match traffic heading out of Burslem. Took us half an hour to get out of town before getting back on the M6.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Decent weather and Burslem is a pleasant little town with some good pubs. Enjoyed pre-match activities, but the game itself was forgettable and the stadium/atmosphere left a lot to be desired.

Port Vale v Bradford City
Football League One
Saturday 25th February 2017, 3pm
Charlie (Bradford City fan)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Vale Park?

I had been meaning to visit Vale Park for the past few seasons now but never quite got around to doing it for some reason. It was a new ground for me so another to tick off the list. We were desperate for three points and with Port Vale being in the relegation zone it had all the makings of a good away day.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

We set off on a supporters coach at 10am, arriving at Vale Park for 2:15pm (with just under two hours spent in a pub on the way!). The Port Vale stewards/police seemed very unorganised and didn't look to have a clue where to ask us to park!

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We stopped at a pub in Winsford for a few pre match drinks and a bite to eat. We spent just under two hours there and arrived at Vale Park with plenty of time to spare before kick off. Once we got off the coach we headed straight into the ground as the surrounding areas didn't seem like the most entertaining places to take a pre match stroll.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?

I found it quite hard to believe that Vale Park has a capacity of almost 19,000, for some reason the whole stadium looked a lot smaller than I expected. The away end is of a decent size and a good noise level can be generated. However if you're more on the tall side and sit in the middle near the back you may find yourself ducking to see the whole goal at the other end of the field with the large scoreboard dropping down below the away end roof. Despite that, the view from the away end is impressive.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The game itself was one where luck was finally on our side! We took the lead through Vincelot in the first half and we should've been more than one up at half time in honesty. As usual, we were punished for not taking our chances and Port Vale equalised early in the second half. The City fans really got behind the team as we knew this was a must win game, and a very winnable one at that too. We began to dominate and in the 75th minute we deservedly took the lead again through ex-Vale player Alex Jones. His celebration was brilliant, straight down to the advertisement boards where he was mobbed by players and fans alike. With Jones being Port Vale's goalscoring hero a couple of months earlier his celebration caused a lot of anger from Port Vale fans, which I couldn't understand considering they booed him before he'd even kicked a ball! We held out for the win and left the stadium very very happy with the result.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

There seemed to be a slight hold up getting all of the away coaches out of the car park. The journey home was nice and easy and we arrived back in Bradford for around 7pm.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Overall I very much enjoyed my first visit to Vale Park and would certainly go again if we happen to be in the same league next year. I would possibly try sit more towards t he middle of the stand rather than the back as it can be frustrating having to move around just to see the opposite goal. Other than that a brilliant away day with good facilities and a fantastic result.

Port Vale v Oxford United
Football League One
Saturday 22nd October 2016, 3pm
Rob Pickett (Oxford United fan)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Vale Park?

I'd never been to Port Vale, despite its relative proximity to Sheffield (I'm an exile). So on a pleasant autumn day I was looking forward to the visit.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I had to cross the Peak District and whilst it is only 46 miles door-to-ground, it took 1 hour 50 mins. Ground is easy to find if you know the Stoke area and I availed myself of parking at Vale Park itself at a cost of £5, which was convenient and safe.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

As with other reviewers, I headed into the nearby town centre and met friends at the Bulls Head pub. This pub which is owned by the Titanic Brewery is a great pub with great real ale and a good atmosphere. They were also cooking burgers on a grill outside. It is only around a ten minute walk away from Vale Park and highly recommended.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?

I was quite impressed with Vale Park. Good views and well laid out. Part of the ground's seating needs completing, but all in all a well laid out stadium. There was a social club outside the ground and away fans could enter for £2 if you didn't want to walk into town.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.

An excellent game. Oxford dominated the first half going 2-0 up. Second half belonged to Vale, mostly and 2-2 was the final score. But the result could have gone either way. I'll take the draw.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Slight delay in exiting the stadium car park, but that was only 10 minutes and I was then homeward bound. No problems really.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

I really enjoyed my visit to Port Vale and would suggest going to any away fan whose team is playing them this season.

I was staying with my family in Rochdale and managed to get a lift to Vale Park £5 with my cousin so it was a no brainer to get it ticked off my list.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

The journey from Rochdale to Port Vale took just over a hour with a bit of traffic on the M6. We got to the ground at 1:30pm and parked in the club car park for £5 which was great!

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

I went into the Port Vale Club Shop and purchased a club pin badge for £2.50 which is lower than average in price! Although I wasn't too impressed that they were charging £2 to gain entry to their social club! I instead made my way into the ground at 2pm.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Vale Park?

I was sat in the away end where I enjoyed a fantastic view of the ground. There were no obstructions in the way at all. It was interesting to note that the seats in the stand on the opposite side to us, were faded and discoloured. But I liked it as it showed the character and age of the stadium.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The game was a fantastic game with two penalties to Port Vale and a screamer from Rochdale. I did get to hear the song "Glad all over" four times from the home fan which is quite catchy!

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Getting away from the ground was no problem. We made our way back to the car in a matter of minutes. Although joining back on the M6 was a bit slow with the narrow roads out of Burslem.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

A great day out and entertaining game. Vale Park is one of my favourite groundhops that I've done so far!

Vale Park is relatively local to me and after a good away win a few days earlier it seemed we had finally turned our poor early form around.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I drove and had no problem finding the ground using sat nav but be warned, Port Vale must be the only ground I have ever been to where there are no signposts anywhere to assist. I parked in the supermarket car park (£5) which is only a short walk away from the stadium.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

Bought a ticket at the ticket office next to the away end. Locals seemed friendly enough although the crowd was very low.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?

I had last been to Port Vale about 16 years ago and it hasn't changed. Its an old style ground which is still yet to be completed. The away section is large enough for around 4000 fans and some views will be obstructed by the pillars that run towards the front. I would advise sitting towards the back for a decent view and if you're going to a night game you will have to put up with the useless floodlights!

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

There was very little atmosphere generated from the home fans except for a small section to the left of the away end. The game ended 2-0 to Millwall and could have been six as we put on easily our best performance of the season. The away end enables the visitors to generate a decent noise even if there is a low number in attendance. The meat and potato pie was one of the best I have sampled (£2.50) and the stewards were very friendly and up for a laugh.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Getting away from the ground was easy enough. There was a bit of traffic but once on the main roads it was clear.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Overall Port Vale is an okay away day. The ground is old but is much better than many of the new stadiums that all look the same. Tickets are available on the day (£22).

Why you were looking forward to going to Vale Park?
It was the final game of the season and a new ground for me to visit.
.How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Because I was on the supporters coach it was quite easy finding Vale Park. The coach parked on the car park just outside the ground.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We arrived at Vale Park at around 10am so we went into the club bar on the car park which was good despite having to pay to get in. Both home and away fans were in the bar with no problems at all.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
I didn't think much when I first saw the ground, as you can't see much of it from outside. As I entered the concourse, I felt that it had an older feeling about it.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was great for us because we won the game 2-1, we scored twice is six minutes early in the first half which gave us a comfortable cushion which we kept until half time. It was a very 50-50 half with minimal chances, Vale answered with a goal in stoppage time but overall we deserved all three points. The stewards are friendly and helpful.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We got on to the coach no problem, and were given a Police escort onto the dual carriageway, so it felt safe and got us away quickly.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I was impressed with the day out, the friendliness of the staff was impressive. Overall, I was very happy with the performance from Fleetwood and just the general day out.